Fiji
November 25th
Having spent a lovely 8 hours in Fiji on our trip out to New Zealand, we decided we would try to go back for an extended stay and this time venture more than just a mile from the airport. We holed up on the southern part of Viti Levu known as the Coral Coast.
We soon learned that Fiji is pretty much the Hawaii of Australia, as we met numerous Aussies on holiday. Jack and Lilly quickly made friends and spent most of their time at the pool hanging with their new mates. The accommodation package came with complimentary nanny service, so Will was whisked away most mornings, leaving us time to focus our full energy on keeping Meredith's googles properly adjusted. Actually, with the kids chumming around or at Kids Club, we actually did find time to relax poolside and catch a few deep breaths in what felt like the first time since we left Virginia. And yes the week went by way too quickly!
The Fiji beaches were idyllic, the food was wonderful and the weather was phenomenal, but what really stood out to us was the friendly Fijian people. They were incredible hosts! This was a big factor in Lilly deciding this is where she wants to live, work and eat when she grows up!
Fiji is an island group consisting of over 100 inhabited islands. Midway through the week, after building up enough confidence to leave Will behind, we took a day trip to the Mamanuca Islands to visit the reef. It was here that Meredith really got to show off her snorkeling chops and was quickly referred to as the "Snorkeling Baby".
Home Sweet Hut! (Actually called a bure) The kids would gather out here every morning/evening to give anyone passing by a loud "Bula!", the Fijian Aloha.
In our short time there, we were able to engage in several opportunities to learn more about the Fijian culture. Through the kids' participation in art, dance, crab races and observance of a Kava drinking and firewalking, they gained a better understanding of the Fijian way of living.
However, the quick win in their first crab race competition and immediate cash winnings gave them an unrepresentative understanding of how gambling works.
The end of our time in Fiji was marked with a joyous evening celebrating shared memories and new friendships. However as the evening came to close, the kids were a bit distraught about saying goodbye to their new friends. The feeling of sadness was only further elevated by the ceremonial Fijian farewell song. It was a somber occasion worthy of a few tissues and some self-reflection...........wait..wait just a minute what is that lady doing in the video?
In Carrie's defense, we are not likely to see deep-fried plantains again anytime soon.
